CURRENT POSITIONS
Adjunct Instructor in Christian Ethics
Lexington Theological Seminary - Lexington, KY Fall 2011, Spring 2012
Adjunct Instructor
McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University - Atlanta, GA Spring 2012
Adjunct Instructor
Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics & Character
Kennesaw State University Spring 2012
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Christian Ethics - Loyola University Chicago: 2006-2011
Comprehensive Exams: Passed with distinction
Dissertation: Defended with Distinction
Dissertation: Patriarchy, Christianity, and the African AIDS Pandemic: Rethinking Christian Marriage in Light of the Experiences of HIV Positive Women in Tanzania
Committee: Susan A. Ross (Director), Aana Marie Vigen, Patricia Beattie Jung
M.Div. Baylor University: 1999– 2002
Magna Cum Laude
Maryknoll Institute of African Studies: Summer 2001, Spring 2004, Summer 2009
Masters level coursework in African Studies and Theology
B.A. in Religious Studies - Gardner-Webb University: 1995-1999
Minor: African Studies, completed in East Africa
AWARDS AND HONORS
Dissertation, Defended with Distinction, 2011
Loyola Univ. Chicago - Arthur J. Schmitt Dissertation Fellowship, 2010-2011
Constant H. Jacquet Research Award (Religious Research Assoc.), 2010
Alpha Sigma Nu (Jesuit Honor Society), 2009-present
Graduate/Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program Grant, 2009
Loyola Univ. Chicago - Advanced Doctoral Fellowship, 2009-2010
Best of Symposium Award - Loyola Interdisciplinary Research Symposium, March 21, 2009
Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams, passed with distinction, Nov 2008
Loyola Univ. Chicago - Graduate School President’s Medallion winner - an award recognizing scholarship, leadership and service, 2008-2009
Graduate School Advisory Council Essay Award Winner, 2008
Graduate School Conference Travel Awards, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Graduate School Merit Award, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
Baylor University - Graduated Magna Cum Laude
Baylor University - Participant in “The Future of Public Theology” (Baylor/Harvard Dialogue)
PUBLICATIONS: Academic
Journal Articles
“Hanging out a Red Ribbon: Listening to Musa Dube’s Postcolonial Feminist Theology,” Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Religion, 2011 (forthcoming).
“Acting out Abstinence, Acting out Gender: Adolescent moral agency and abstinence education,” Theology and Sexuality, Vol. 16.2, 2011: 141-159.
“Listening to Experience, Looking Towards Flourishing: Ethnography as a Global Feminist Theo/ethical Praxis” (article and film) with Edith Chamwama, Eunice Kamaara, Sussy Gumo Kurgat, Damaris Parsitau, Emily Reimer-Barry, Elisabeth Vasko, and Jeanine Viau, Practical Matters, Issue 3, Spring 2010.
“HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sexed Bodies: Rethinking Abstinence in Light of the African AIDS Pandemic,” Theology and Sexuality, Vol. 15.1, 2009: 27-46.
“Reexamining our Words, Reimagining our Policies: Undocumented Migration, Families, and the Moral Imagination,” Journal of Poverty, Vol. 13, 2009, 1-20.
"The Goods and Evils of a Globalized Context: African and American Women Doing Theology," with Susan A. Ross and Elisabeth T. Vasko, Concilium International Journal of Theology, 2009/1.
“Missional Worship: Worshiping as Kingdom Communities,” The Chorister, Dec. 2002 / Jan. 2003, Vol. 54 Issue 4, pp. 26-28.
“Faith and Works in the Epistle of James,” Gardner-Webb Review, Gardner-Webb University, 1999.
Book Chapters
“Morality on the Streets: An Examination of the Beliefs and Moral Practice of Street Children in Light of Christianity and African Traditional Religions,” in Ethnography as Christian Theology and Ethics, Christian Scharen & Aana Marie Vigen, eds. Continuum, 2011.
“What Africa Has to Teach America: Finding Ways to Increase Compassion and Reduce Stigma in Light of the African HIV and AIDS Pandemic,” book chapter being published in an upcoming “Religion in Africa” series, African Association for the Study of Religion (forthcoming).
"Your Daughters Shall Prophesy (As Long as They Submit): Pentecostalism and Gender in Global Perspective." With Andrea Hollingsworth. In The Liberating Spirit: Pentecostals and Social Action in North America, ed. Michael Wilkinson and Steven M. Studebaker. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers (Pickwick), 2010.
Book Reviews
“Ethics and Time: Ethos of Temporal Orientation in Politics and Religion of the Niger Delta” by Nimi Wariboko, Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, (forthcoming).
“Things Fall Apart: A Look at Chinua Achebe’s Novel,” Africa ’05 Bound Journal. The Center for Christian Ethics, (Baylor University), Spring 2005.
Other Academic Publications
“Caring for Creation by Attending to Human Flourishing,” Christian Reflection: A Series in Faith and Ethics, July 2012 (forthcoming).
“Listening in the Classroom,” Christian Reflection: A Series in Faith and Ethics, April 2009.
“Hurry Up and Wait,” Africa ’05 Bound Journal. The Center for Christian Ethics, (Baylor University), Spring 2005.
PUBLICATIONS: IN PROGRESS
When Marriage Becomes Risky: Reflections from Tanzania on Christian Marriage in an HIV Positive World, Book proposal currently under review.
Trading Sex for Fish: Women's forced choices and faith along the shores of
Lake Victoria in Tanzania, Journal article currently under review.
Weaving the Future Together: Doing Collaborative Postcolonial Feminist Theologies, (to be co-edited with Damaris Parsitau, Emily Reimer-Barry and Eunice Kamaara), Planned Anthology for Publication in 2012.
African Religions and Health, (to be co-edited with Afe Adogame, Ezra Chitando, and Lovemore Togarasei), Africa World Press (African Association for the Study of Religions “Religion in Africa” series), James L. Cox and Gerrie ter Haar, series editors, (forthcoming, 2012).
“A Collective Ethics of Responsibility as a Tool for Preventing Conflict: Theological Reflections on the Responsibility to Protect,” (Co-written with Laura Seay).
PRESENTATIONS TO CONFERENCES AND PROFESSIONAL GATHERINGS
Academic Papers
Sacred Sports and Not-so-sacred Sex: Human trafficking at the 2010 World Cup, African Association for the Study of Religions, Egerton, Kenya, July 18-22, 2012 (forthcoming).
Ancient and Contemporary Voices: What Do Christians Think God Thinks About Sex? A [Baptist] Conference on Sexuality and Covenant, Sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Mercer University Center for Theology and Public Life, April 19-21, 2012 (forthcoming).
A Collective Ethics of Responsibility as a Tool for Preventing Conflict: Theological Reflections on the Responsibility to Protect, Society of Christian Ethics, Presentation at meeting of Baptist Ethicists, Jan. 6, 2012 (forthcoming).
When Marriage Becomes Risky: A Theo-ethical Reflection on Christian Marriage in Light of the Experiences of HIV Positive Women in Tanzania, Society of Christian Ethics, New Orleans, LA, Jan. 8, 2011.
Confidentiality, Stigma and Risk: Listening to the Experiences of HIV Positive Women in Tanzania, Emory University Center for Ethics, Dec. 6, 2010.
Confidentiality, Stigma and Risk: Listening to the Experiences of HIV Positive Women in Tanzania, Stritch School of Medicine Ethics Grand Rounds, Loyola University Chicago, Dec. 9, 2010.
Women’s Agency and the African AIDS Pandemic: Reflections on Gender and Sacrifice by HIV Positive Women in Tanzania, American Academy of Religion, Atlanta, GA, Oct. 31, 2010.
Researching Religion in Postcolonial Space, African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) Meeting at the American Academy of Religion, Atlanta, GA, Oct. 30, 2010.
Acting out Abstinence, Acting out Gender: Limits on adolescent moral agency in abstinence-only education, National Women's Studies Association, Denver, CO, November 13, 2010.
Risking Life So That Life Will Go On: Understanding relational poverty and health in intimate relationships through the experiences of HIV positive women in Tanzania, Politics, Poverty and Prayer Conference: Global African Spiritualities and Social Transformation, Nairobi, Kenya, July 24, 2010.
Practicing Postcolonial Feminist Theology Cross-culturally: A Reflection on the Exploring Global Feminist Theologies Pedagogy Project, with Damaris Parsitau, African Association for the Study of Religions, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Jan. 21, 2010.
Nature or Nurture? A theo-ethical evaluation of behavior-based vs. environmental approaches to preventing HIV and AIDS in East Africa, African Association for the Study of Religions, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Jan. 20, 2010.
Pathfinding as Empowerment for African Women, African Women in America (AfWiAm) Discussion series, Loyola University Chicago, May 29, 2009.
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sexed Bodies: Rethinking Abstinence in Light of the African AIDS Pandemic, Women and Leadership Archives Lecture Series, The Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, Chicago, IL, April 16, 2009.
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sexed Bodies: Rethinking Abstinence in Light of the African AIDS Pandemic, Loyola University Chicago Interdisciplinary Research Symposium for Graduate School Students and Alumni, Chicago, IL, March 21, 2009. (Awarded “Best in Symposium”)
Faith-based Public Health in East Africa, Theology and Ethnography Consultation, Sponsored by Emory University's Initiative in Religious Practices and Practical Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, March 4, 2009.
Gearing Up: Getting Started in Fieldwork, panel presentation with Aana Marie Vigen and Rev. Dr. Christian A.B. Scharen, Society of Christian Ethics, Chicago, IL, Jan. 8-11, 2009.
Love and Sacrifice Through Cross-Cultural Lenses: The Boundaries of Self and Conceptions of Love for African Women, 17th European Conference on Philosophy of Religion, sponsored by the European Society for Philosophy of Religion, Oslo, Norway, Aug. 28-31, 2008.
Sex and Sacred Texts: Creating Emancipatory Speech in the Classroom, Paper given as part of a panel presentation entitled Women’s Studies Meets Theology: Sex and Sacred Texts Take the Stage in the Classroom, with Jeanine Viau, Elizabeth Vasko and Mary Moorman National Women’s Studies Association Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH, June 19-22, 2008.
The Social Landscape of Stigma: A Postcolonial Feminist Interpretation of the African AIDS Pandemic, National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, Nashville, TN, May 18-20, 2008.
Ethnographic Fieldwork and Ethics, Short presentation at the inaugural meeting of the “Fieldwork and Ethics” interest group, Society of Christian Ethics, Jan. 3, 2008.
Embodied Participatory Learning: Engaging African Communal Theology as a Method of Feminist Pedagogy, Presentation by the Women in Theology reading group, sponsored by the Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage, Loyola University, Oct. 17, 2007.
What Africa Has to Teach America: Finding Ways to Increase Compassion and Reduce Stigma in Light of the African HIV and AIDS Pandemic, African Association for the Study of Religions Annual Conference, Gaborone, Botswana, Southern Africa, July 8-13, 2007.
Morality on the Streets: An Examination of the Beliefs and Moral Practice of Street Children in Light of Christianity and African Traditional Religions, Loyola-Marquette Colloquium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jan. 27, 2007.
Public Presentations
Publishing Without Perishing While in Grad School, Loyola University Chicago Theology Graduate Student Caucus, Jan. 24, 2011.
Integrating Activism and Academics, panelist, Loyola University Chicago Graduate Service Resource Forum, Nov. 6, 2008.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE & PEDAGOGY TRAINING
Adjunct Instructor in Christian Ethics, Lexington Theological Seminary
“Ethical Forms,” Fall 2011
“Science and God: Intro to Biomedical Ethics,” Spring 2012
Adjunct Instructor, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University
“Ethics,” Spring 2012
“Evangelism and Mission II,” Spring 2012
Adjunct Instructor in Christian Ethics, Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics & Character, Kennesaw State University
“Ethical Foundations,” Spring 2012
Adjunct Instructor, Loyola University Chicago
“Moral Problems: HIV/AIDS in Global Perspective,” Spring 2009
Research Mentor, Loyola University Chicago Graduate/Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program, Summer 2009
Pedagogy I Certificate, 2009; Pedagogy II Certificate, 2007, Loyola University Chicago Department of Theology
Teaching Assistant, Loyola University Chicago
“Christian Marriage and Family,” Fall 2006, Patricia Beattie Jung
Mentor, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Student Inquiry and Research Program - Mentored a student research project entitled, “Homosexuality and the Catholic Church,” 2007-2008
Group pedagogy project on using methods of participatory learning in the classroom, Women and Religion, THEO 178 / WOST 278, Loyola University Chicago, Spring 2007
INVITED LECTURES
“The African HIV/AIDS Epidemic,” for Comparative Politics, Morehouse College, March 25, 2010.
“People as unwritten texts: Immersion experiences and sources of authority,” for Moral Problems: Authority and Moral Agency, Loyola University, Feb. 18, 2008.
“Kenyan street children and food security” for Moral Problems: Virtuous Eating and Biblical Imagery, THEO 192, Loyola University Chicago, Spring 2007.
“AIDS orphans in Kenya” for Kiswahili 1401, Baylor University, Oct. 12, 2004.
“Children’s issues: Poverty & AIDS in the developing world,” for Lifespan Human Development, Baylor University, Oct. 12, 2004.
“AIDS crisis in Africa,” for Theology Capstone, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Oct. 11, 2004.
“Family, parenting and marriage in Kenya,” for Preschool Child Development and Curriculum, Baylor University, Oct. 11, 2004.
FIELD RESEARCH
Mwanza, Tanzania
Oct. 2009-May 2010 - Women’s agency and the African HIV/AIDS epidemic
Affiliations: Diocese of Victoria Nyanza (Anglican Church Tanzania) and
Saint Augustine University Tanzania
Mai Mahiu, Kenya
June-July 2009 - Reflections on post-election violence from IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps
Affiliation: Maryknoll Institute of African Studies, Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL
March-May 2009 - Reflections on faith-based abstinence education by college students and young adults
Affiliation: Loyola University Chicago
Nairobi, Kenya
Jan-April 2004 - Urban refugees and Christian ethics
Affiliation: Maryknoll Institute of African Studies
Nairobi, Kenya
May-June 2001 - Street children and religious beliefs
Affiliation: Maryknoll Institute of African Studies
PUBLICATIONS: Popular & Church Curriculum
Multiple church resource tools and leader’s guides published with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Offering for Global Missions Resource CD or online resources: 2006-2011; Offering for Global Missions Leader’s Guides: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007).
Praying the Seasons of the Harvest. Prayer guide for Global Missions published by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, 2007.
“Hearing Voices of Need,” and “The Wisdom of Jesus,” Youth curriculum published with Smyth and Helwys, 2007.
“Living the Call,” Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Missions Offering Bible Study, Published by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, 2003.
“Justice, Mercy, and a Wise Walk,” Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Missions Offering Bible Study, Published by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, 2002.
Multiple news articles published with the Associated Baptist Press and with the fellowship, a news publication of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Multiple devotions and devotional series published for online devotional sites: Journey to the Cross, Following the Star and d365.org.
INVITED SERMONS
“City on a Hill," Mary Baldwin College, Feb. 1, 2011.
"On Faith and Doubt,” Nyakato Moravian Church, Tanzania, April 11, 2010.
“What’s God Thinking?,” Butimba Anglican Church, Tanzania, Mar. 2, 2010.
World AIDS Day Sermon, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Mwanza, Tanzania - Dec. 2009.
“No Moses Without the Midwives,” “On Sacrifice and Love,” and “Shaking our
Shoes,” Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler, Chicago, IL - Summer 2008.
“Hide and Seek,” Emmanuel Baptist Youth Retreat, Nashville, TN - March 2005.
“Dreaming with Dr. King,” Baptist Church of the Covenant (Birmingham, AL)
Youth Retreat, Gatlinburg, TN - Jan. 15-17, 2005.
“Who is My Neighbor,” Methodist Youth Gathering, Dothan, AL - Jan. 2005.
“Singing Together,” Colonial Avenue Baptist Church, Roanoke, VA - Dec. 5, 2004.
“Are Your Hands Free?” Baylor University Chapel, Oct. 12, 2004.
“On Giving Good Gifts,” First Baptist Church, Cleveland, GA - Sept. 19, 2004.
“Body of Christ,” Calvary Baptist (Waco, TX) Women’s Retreat - March 16, 2002.
“The Advent of Liberation,” Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, TX - Dec. 30, 2001.
“Where We’re Planted,” Gardner-Webb University, Spring 1998.
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Loyola University Chicago: Aug. 2006 – May 2009
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•Research Assistant for Susan A. Ross - Assisted with preparation for the Concilium conference at Loyola (2008-2009)
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•Teaching/Research Assistant for Patricia Jung - Assisted with Christian Marriage course, assisted with referee placement for the Society of Christian Ethics, mentored a high school student doing research on sexual ethics (2006-2008)
Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler (Chicago, IL): Sept. 2008 - Jan. 2009
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•Interim Baptist Clergy at Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler, (Chicago, Il) - an ecumenical congregation affiliated with the Episcopal, American Baptist, and Evangelical Covenant denominations
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship / Passport Camps: Sept. 2004 – June 2006
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•Field Personnel (Global Service Corps) assigned to Passport, Inc.
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•Editor for three online devotional sites
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•Interim Director for Mission Exchange program
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•Assistant Director for Passport Kenya camp
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•Assistant Director for Echo, a ministry exploration retreat for students funded by the Lilly Endowment
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•Writer and Editor for Passport curriculum
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•Design Team member and curriculum writer for Faith in 3D, a tri-denominational youth conference sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, The Episcopal Church, and Presbyterian Church (USA)
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Nairobi, Kenya): Jan. 2003 – Sept. 2004
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•Field Personnel (Global Service Corps) assigned to Nairobi, Kenya
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•Worked as the Daily Operations Supervisor for Kids to Kids, a feeding an education project outside of one of Nairobi’s larger slums
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•Worked with Amani ya Juu, a sewing project for refugee women
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•Researched the urban refugee situation in Nairobi and made recommendations for NGOs working with refugees
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•Hosted multiple college, seminary, high school and church immersion trips and volunteers
Calvary Baptist Church (Waco, Tx): Aug. – Dec. 2001
Preaching Intern – Ordained, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Dec. 2001
Baylor University African Studies Program (Waco, Tx): Aug. 1999 – March 2000
Recruiting Director – East Africa Semester Abroad
Seventh & James Baptist Church (Waco, Tx): Sept. 1999 – Dec 2002
Residential manager for the Dunn House, an international house on the Baylor University campus
Norfolk Baptist Association (Virginia Beach, VA): Summer 1997 and 1998
Summer Missionary / Summer Ministries Coordinator
Bethany Baptist Church (Gaffney, SC): Oct. 1996 – March 1997
Minister of Youth and Children
SERVICE & LEADERSHIP
Assistant Secretary General/Webmaster for the African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) - 2010-2015 term.
Assistant Reviews Editor for the proposed African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) e-journal (forthcoming).
Steering Committee, American Academy of Religions, Feminist Theory and Religious Reflection Group - 2010-present.
Conference Planning Committee for “A [Baptist] Conference on Sexuality and Covenant,” Co-Sponsored by Mercer University Center for Theology and Public Life and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Atlanta, GA, April 19-21, 2012.
Conference Planner for ELCA World AIDS Day Conference, Atlanta, GA, December 2011.
Conference Planning Committee for African Association for the Study of Religions Meeting, Nakuru, Kenya, July 2012.
Conference Planning Committee for "Politics, Poverty and Prayer: Global African Spiritualities and Social Transformation" Conference, (Nairobi, Kenya), July 2010.
Loyola University Chicago - Global Feminist Theologies Immersion Project, (Nairobi, Kenya), International Coordinator and Grant Writer, 2008-2009.
Concilium International Journal for Theology Conference Co-Organizer, Loyola University Chicago, June 2009.
Society of Christian Ethics, Ethics and Fieldwork Interest Group Co-convener, 2007-present.
Referee, Political Theology journal, 2008-present.
Loyola Theology Graduate Student Caucus - Vice-President, 2007, President, 2007 & 2008.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
International Coordinator and Grant Writer for Loyola University Chicago’s Global Feminist Theologies in Postcolonial Space immersion program in Nairobi, Kenya, Summer 2009. Program funded through the American Academy of Religion, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning, Loyola University Chicago and University of San Diego.
Travel, study or work experience in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Egypt, Malawi, Ethiopia, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Mexico, Canada, Cayman Islands, France (Paris), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Norway, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, China, Hong Kong, Macau.
Two study abroad experiences and two years work experience in Kenya; extensive travel and work in Tanzania and Southern Africa.
Worked with and led high school, seminary, college, and church immersion programs in East Africa through Africa Exchange, Passport Kenya, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baylor University, George W. Truett Theological Seminary and Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.
READING AND RESEARCH GROUPS
Graduate Scholars Program in Women’s Studies, 2008-2009, Women & Human Rights, Sponsored by the Loyola University Chicago Gannon Center for Women and Leadership.
Women in Theology reading group. 2006-2007 (Co-Coordinator): “Feminist Liberationist Pedagogy: At the Intersection of Academic Theological Discourse and Social Action,” and 2007-2008: “Reading Past White Privilege: Listening to Global Women’s Theologies.” Sponsored by the Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage.
Religion and Science reading group: Evolutionary Biology and Altruism, 2007-2008 and Neuroscience and Ethics, 2008-2009. Sponsored by the Loyola University Chicago Department of Theology and the Theology Graduate Student Caucus.
LANGUAGES
Kiswahili – 2 semesters, extensive self-study, graduate research tool
Courses taken in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Greek – 6 semesters
Hebrew – 2 semesters
American Sign Language – 4 semesters
French – 1 semester, graduate research tool
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
African Association for the Study of Religions
American Academy of Religion
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities
National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion
National Women’s Studies Association
Religious Research Association
Society of Christian Ethics
To see examples of the work cited in this Curriculum Vitae,
please visit my Portfolio
